Manual:Infantry Manual:Equipment:Weapons:Grenades

Hand Grenades
For centuries, various races have independently developed the concept of an area effect bomb that is small enough and light enough to be carried and thrown by an individual soldier. But it must be remembered that hand grenades, since they are limited by the distance an individual soldier can throw them, need to be short. ranged devices. In most cases, a grenade can be thrown only 30 to 40 meters under standard conditions.

Construction
Modern SFMC grenades consist of a Polyalloy casing to contain the charge & a separate fuse element. Nor-mally, hand grenades are replicated and stored without the fuse for safety & security reasons. Inserting the fuse element is a simple procedure that takes very little time and is usually done just before the grenade is issued for use. This also allows for the use of specialized fuses to be inserted in the field.

Most grenades rely on a chemical explosion or reaction to achieve their effects; because a grenade is usu-ally a simple toss and forget device it is not possible to give them the sort of protection that typical weapons have against dampening fields. Thus, a chemical reaction is the most reliable way of fusing & detonating these weapons on the modern battlefield. Unless otherwise noted, grenades use a charge of Ultitrium 283 in varying amounts set off by microscopic quantities of Mooride Polyronite 4, a slow burning chemical explo-sive that produces a compression wave that is used to jump start Fusion reactors.

Fusing
The standard fusing system contains a safety device to prevent accidental arming of the grenade. A quanti-ty of Mooride Polyronite 4 produces a standard delay of 4 seconds. The safety is a memory plastic disk ap-proximately 40 mm in diameter and 10 mm thick with a scalloped edge that makes it easy to find and turn even when wet or otherwise slick, and even when wearing heavy gloves. Twisting the disk clockwise will re-lease the safety, and counterclockwise to disarm the grenade. When the safety is released, a tiny electro-chemical reaction causes the safety disk to change shape to a short, knurled cylinder roughly 30mm in di-ameter and 20mm in height, forming a slight depression around the activation button.

When the thumb button is firmly depressed the grenade becomes armed, but the delay isn’t activated until the button is released. This is a safety feature to prevent a minor slip of the user’s thumb from initiating the delay timer. The fuse assembly, and especially the delay timer, is sealed and very resistant to clogging or fouling by contaminants such as mud, dust, etc.

Variants
D185 Standard fusing assembly used in grenades with chemical explosives. D304 Standard fusing assembly used in grenades with non-chemical explosives. D581 Fusing assembly that uses the time-tested pin and “spoon” activation assembly that detonates chemical explosives. D577 Fusing assembly that used the time-tested pin and “spoon” activation assembly that detonates non-chemical explosives. D211 “Psy-Ops” fuse, which consists of a long delay element and a small speaker which allows the device to shout “I’m a thirty second bomb” and then count down until explosion in any of several languages. It is used to clear civilians from an area, or to cause panic in inexperienced troops.

Defensive Grenades
Defensive grenades are used for lethal effect on close targets; and are almost universally spherical in shape, which results in a very consistent pattern of fragments. Unless otherwise noted, all are based upon a chemical explosion and normally are fitted with the standard D185 fuse assembly.

B531 Fragmentation Grenade
Commonly referred to as a “frag”, the core of the grenade is a solid block of Ultritium 283 surrounded by a pre-scored shell of Turminium. The shell has been scored so that it fragments into thousands of small, razor sharp fragments that can render critical damage to any unarmored biological targets. The range of the frag-ments is rated at up to 5 meters for certain fatality and 15 meters for wounds. The grenade itself has three ridges parallel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade.

B301 Close Quarters Fragmentation Grenade
Like the B531, but the Ultritium 283 charge is smaller, and a modified fragmentation shell consisting of porous Turminium. The fragmentary shell is twice as thick as in the B531, but it has numerous cavities filled with pol-ymer foam that deadens the potential energy imparted to the Terminium fragments. These cavities and the polymer filler make up slightly more than 50% of the shell’s volume, meaning that the fragmentary shrapnel is reduced in both velocity and kinetic energy. The result is that the lethal effect is limited to 3 meters, with al-most no damage beyond 5 meters. The CQB or “safety” grenade is often used where collateral damage is a concern, such as in urban environments or hostage recovery operations. The grenade itself has six ridges parallel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade.

B160 Armor Piercing Fragmentation Grenade
The core of the grenade is a binary explosive of Anicium and Yurium, which together have high energy out-puts in comparison to the amounts used. The fragmentary shell is composed of Duranium with numerous blocks of Rodinium around the exterior. The pre-scoring on these materials is designed to provide fragments suitable for penetrating hardened materials and armor, such as personal armor and building walls. It may also be effective against unarmored or lightly armored vehicles if used appropriately. The grenade itself has a crosshatch pattern consisting of six ridges parallel and six perpendicular to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade.

Offensive Grenades
Broadly speaking, offensive grenades rely more on the actual effect of the blast instead of producing frag-ments to cause casualties. Both chemical explosion and energy blast devices see use in the SFMC and are universally contained within ovoid shells. Offensive grenades are particularly effective in enclosed spaces, and often less lethal in the open where the effects of the explosion are not confined. Note that the blast effects may not be lethal, but they can stun or disorient the enemy over a much larger radius than the “lethal” zone and may send dangerous debris flying for long distances. Offensive grenades are often used as demolition charges to destroy captured equipment or structures, or to clear enemy fortifications or bunkers.

B381 High Explosive Concussion Grenade
Essentially a charge of Ultritium 283 packed into a polyalloy shell. Concussion grenades are typically found in the hands of Combat Engineers and Assault Pioneers. The lethal radius of 2 meters is deceptive, as the over-pressure from the blast is deadly in any sort of enclosed space in a much wider area. The grenade itself has a yellow ridge parallel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade; and to further enhance identification, the ridge is on a field of a black strip.

B201 Thermobaric Grenade
Known to Marines as ‘Bunker Busters', the B201 is one of the most powerful hand grenades in the SFMC inventory. Like other similar munitions it rapidly disperses a combination of Clancium Oxide and Blitmanite 834 through the atmosphere, and then ignites them. The resulting explosion and incendiary effect is very power-ful, and in fact, in open air, may be lethal far beyond the range the average Marine can throw the grenade. For that reason, it is seldom issued to any but specially trained troops and is usually fitted with a fuse that allows for extra time to get clear. In the words of an anonymous Marine grenade training instructor, “If one of your buddies is carrying a black egg with two red stripes, either gently take it away from him, or give him PLENTY of room”. The instructor was referring also to the VTIS of the grenade, being two red ridges parallel to the fuse assembly on the field of a large black strip.

B673 Phased Overload Grenade
The B673 is the SFMC designation for the standard Starfleet issue “photon grenade”. Note that the popular name is a misnomer, and that the grenade operates on the same principle as a hand phaser set to “overload”. In effect, the B673 is a type I phaser with no emitter that will destroy itself explosively. The force of the explo-sion can be varied based on the amount of charge “overloaded” and lethal radius may be as small as 2 me-ters or as large as 80 meters depending on the setting chosen. The timer is also variable, with settings from 10 seconds to 5 minutes. It is an overly complex and flexible device, and for that very reason is seldom is-sued to field forces. Field experience proved that the photon grenade was ill suited for use in the rapidly changing conditions of a large-scale ground battle, and that Marines were better served having devices they could simply arm and throw with a known effect and a standard delay timer, without taking the time to fuss with variable settings. This grenade is also very vulnerable to dampening fields, the main factor for it being de-emphasized in the SFMC. Occasionally, it will be found in the hands of trained experts such as combat engineers and special operators where its small size, light weight, and flexibility outweigh the disadvantages that preclude its general use. Note that its spherical shape is normally reserved for defensive grenades, but this Starfleet grenade design predates the adoption of VTIS by the SFMC.

Incendiary Grenades
Any hand grenade capable of igniting flammable materials that is not primarily an explosive device is classified as incendiaries, including smoke emitting and illumination grenades. Most incendiary grenades are a simple cylindrical shape.

B512 Incendiary Grenade
This simple but effective grenade can be used as either an incendiary or to produce a dense column of white smoke as a marker. Because the Clancium Oxide filler compound burns at over 2800 degrees Kelvin the smoke column tends to rise straight up very rapidly and thus is less useful for screening purposes. The burst-ing charge of Mooride Polyronite 4 scatters Clancium Oxide in a radius of about 17 meters and great care should be taken to avoid damaging friendly troops or positions. Due to the properties of burning incendiaries, this grenade has historically had a very marked psychological effect. The grenade itself has 2 white ridges parallel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade; and to further enhance iden-tification, the ridges is on a field of a light red strip.

B430 Anti-Material Incendiary Grenade
The B430 uses Clancium Oxide, Blitmanite 834, and numerous more common materials combined at the nanometer scale. This mixture produces, when ignited by the fusing assembly, a high viscosity liquid like materi-al at a temperature of over 3000 degrees Kelvin. While this material is designed to burn for around 40 sec-onds, the time it remains dangerous is highly dependent on the environment and what other materials it en-counters. Because of the temperature and viscous liquid product the B430 can burn through or melt a variety of materials in a short time. In addition, the compound used provides its own oxygen, which allows this device to be used under a variety of conditions, including underwater. This grenade is most used to destroy captured enemy equipment or structures. The grenade itself has 4 black ridges parallel to the fuse assembly that al-lows non-visual identification of the grenade; and to further enhance identification, the ridges is on a field of a light red strip.

B880 Plasma Incendiary Grenade
One of the few grenades that use a combination of high energy and chemical technology, the B880 converts a small amount of Tri-Nitrogen Chloride into a plasma state by the discharge of energy from a standard hand phaser power cell through an isolinear circuit and releases it explosively. This reaction is lethal to most near-by life forms and will often overload sensitive electronics nearby due to the ionized nature of the plasma. Be-cause the plasma temperature can be over 6200 degrees Kelvin, most objects within 10 meters will be dam-aged or ignited by the initial burst of heat, and even low-level force fields may be affected. Unlike most other incendiary devices, the B880 does not burn for an extended period, with the primary effect lasting for less than one second. Due to the temperatures involved, this is sufficient to ignite most nearby materials. This de-vice is generally only issued to troops specially trained to use it. The grenade itself has 3 orange ridges par-allel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade; and to further enhance identifi-cation, the ridges is on a field of a light red strip.

B814 Illumination Grenade
This grenade is used to illuminate a large area with light in a predetermined segment of the electromagnetic spectrum. The core of the grenade contains a solid piece of Terminium specially treated with a Clanicium Ox-ide Composite, which will provide illumination and therefore burn for about 60 seconds. The Clancium Oxide is a composite with any of three other chemicals to produce a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. Possible wavelengths are:

Because of the intense light and heat produced, the B814 is of-ten used to blind enemy night vision devices or as a diversion on night operations. The grenade itself has 6 white ridges parallel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade; and to further enhance identification, the ridges is on a field of a light red stripe with a colored border indicating the emitted light color.

B445 Smoke Grenade
A round designed to conceal and camouflage units and or areas of terrain. At the core is a piece of Mooride Polyronite 4, which is not only a very energetic explosive but also produces a pressure wave when detonated that helps vaporize and disperse the smoke agent. The smoke agent is a special blend of prismatic micro-crystals of Duranium, Transparent Aluminum, and other energy resistant and reflective materials suspended in a liquid base. When detonated this solution produces a thick white smoke screen capable of obscuring the electromagnetic spectrum from 5 nanometers to 5 millimeters (Soft X-Ray Radiation to Extremely High Frequency Radio Wave ranges). This adequately protects any units from observation by any standard battlefield optical sensor and engagement systems; it will actually provide some protection from energy weapons fire as well. The grenade itself has 6 gray ridges parallel to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade.

B981 Ground Marker Grenade
A grenade designed as a ground-based signal to friendly units using a combination of visual smoke, light bea-con, sensor beacon, and communications beacon. Because of its versatility it has one of the most intricate fusing and arming procedures of any grenade. The grenade itself has crosshatch pattern consisting of four ridges parallel and four ridges perpendicular to the to the fuse assembly that allows non-visual identification of the grenade; the ridges themselves are painted in the color of the smoke/light produced. To further differentiate the grenades, the color of the smoke/light produced is written just below the crosshatch in that color.

The smoke is made of prismatic micro-crystals of Monotanium suspended in a liquid base. To vaporize the liquid smoke, it is heated to extreme temperatures; this is done by the light beacon portion of the round. Visi-ble light is produced by burning a specialized piece of Terminium treated with Clancium Oxide Composite en-closed within the Pollyalloy shell, which doesn’t allow the heat to escape and therefore eliminates any possibility of accidental incendiary effects. The Clancium Oxide is a composite with any of eight additional chemicals to produce a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. Possible wavelengths are:

This burning Terminium also influences the electromagnetic properties of the Monotanium, as the electrically reactive crystals will take on the properties of the light being produced. This means that whichever form of light is being produced, the smoke will reflect the same portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Both the smoke and the light are designed for sixty seconds of activity.

Nonlethal Grenades
In crowd control or hostage extraction situations, weapons are needed to minimize the chance of death or se-rious injury to individuals in the target area. Non-Lethal grenades may use either chemical reactions or a non- directional phaser stun to accomplish their task, depending on type. Non-Lethal grenades are generally small-er cylinders with larger rounded hexagonal end caps.

B351 Aerosol Dispersal Grenade
This grenade is designed to be one of the best ways to clear small open areas and enclosed rooms without using energy or other direct impact physical weapons. At the end of the delay timer, the grenade will disperse one of three chemical agents: Oleoresin Capsicum (C-type or OC), Alphagas (A-type), or Iridagel (J-type). All three will cause a constriction of the airway, temporary blindness, and skin irritation in varying degrees de-pending on the levels of exposure. Oleoresin Capsicum is generally effective on most humanoid life forms, while Alphagas and Iridalgel are used against hardier forms of life, or species that have an immunity and or resistance to OC gas. The specifications for any of the chemical agent’s state that they have an incapacitating effect within 5 to 8 meters of the round. However, this figure is highly dependent on the environmental conditions of the area where the round is deployed. The grenade itself has a single gold band parallel to the fuse assembly at the center of the cylinder.

B735 Phase Grenade
The phase grenade isn’t a staple of SFMC operations; in fact, it is a standard Fleet design that has been made more durable for use in the field. It features a variable delay, from 2 to 10 seconds, and a fusing system that incorporates buttons alongside the more standard twist safety cap. Upon detonation the device emits an omni-directional phaser stun burst and an extreme burst of light and sound (roughly equivalent to a stun grenade) to disorient beings not susceptible to stuns. It is generally effective inside a 2-meter radius. If not dam-aged, the device can be recovered and recharged after use. The stun grenade is commonly used in close quarters situations where non-lethal force is desired. The grenade itself is roughly cylindrical, with a center swelling; white in color with various blue emission ports, along with a blue illuminated arming button.

B448 Stun Grenade
The stun grenade is commonly used when the target may be immune or shielded from phaser stuns, or in the presence of dampening fields. The perforations in the casing, which is a mix of Polyalloy and Terminium, al-low the light and acoustic effects to escape while containing the deflagration effect of the filler that produces them. Unlike traditional ordnance designed for inflicting casualties, the pyrotechnic charge in the stun grenade produces a subsonic deflagration, not a supersonic detonation, minimizing the blast effects. The light and acoustic effects of this grenade are often described as nearly inhuman, the light pulse is rated at over a mil-lion candelas and the acoustic pulse is rated at around 180 decibels. The full effect is felt in a roughly 1.5 me-ter radius from the point of detonation and is sufficient to cause immediate (but temporary) flash blindness, deafness, tinnitus, and inner ear disturbance in most humanoid species. Exposed personnel experience disorientation, confusion and loss of coordination and balance. Flash bangs are sometimes used in real world field exercises too large to conduct on a holodeck to simulate more lethal grenades. The grenade itself has no ridges or colored bands, and is often simply all black in color

Specialty Grenades
Some hand grenades that are carried by marines are not listed above. These grenades are not typically au-thorized but require inclusion within this manual as a primer for what a marine will see in the field.

Training Grenades
Every hand grenade in the SFMC inventory has a special training version used when holodeck training is not desired or possible. Training grenades follow their live counterparts as far as shape, weight, and distinctive case features are concerned, but are always a bright “safety orange” in color. These grenades cannot be re-painted to look like anything other than what they are – devices used to let new recruits get the feel of the real thing. Special versions of the fuses activate a low-level energy pulse tailored to the characteristics of the actu-al grenade, and sensors in the training area dutifully record which trainee used the device properly, and which ones would have ended up causing harm to themselves and their comrades.

Foreign Grenades
Many non-Federation races employ their own versions of the hand grenades used by the SFMC, and Marines should familiarize themselves with the more common versions of these devices. Usually, any thorough threat briefing on anticipated enemy forces will include recognition and performance information on these devices. Due to the actions of illegal arms dealers, the Klingon Sonic Grenade and Cardassian Pressure Grenade are particularly widespread. Both of which are overload-type devices, like the B448 Phase Grenade, based on disruptor technology rather than phaser energy cells.

Anti-Matter Hand Grenade
Sometimes used as a metaphor for something wildly impractical or tactically useless by veteran Marines, there are persistent rumors that SFMC R&D is working on or has already developed a hand grenade that us-es a matter-antimatter explosion to cause incredible damage to a target. Even if the technology existed to safely contain antimatter in something as small as a hand grenade casing, the projected lethal blast radius of such a device would be at least an order of magnitude greater than any Marine could throw it under standard conditions. Still, the rumors persist, fueled by the sudden and complete destruction of the remote SFMC R&D facility code named “Tunguska” by what was proven by three separate investigative bodies to be an asteroid strike. There is no truth to these rumors